tunic

noun

tu·​nic ˈtü-nik 

ˈtyü-

1

a

: a simple slip-on garment made with or without sleeves and usually knee-length or longer, belted at the waist, and worn as an under or outer garment by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome

b

: surcoat

2

a

: a hip-length or longer blouse or jacket

b

: a short overskirt

3

: a long usually plain close-fitting jacket with high collar worn especially as part of a uniform

4

: tunicle

5

: an enclosing or covering membrane or tissue

the tunic of a seed

Examples of tunic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Behind the desk are Reeve's Superman costume from the movie and the tunic from his figure at the defunct Movieland Wax Museum in California. —Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 26 Aug. 2025

On the cover of her cookbook, Food Network Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis - Weekend Cooking, De Laurentiis wore a flowery purple, black and grey tunic with a plunging neckline. —Moná Thomas, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Vogue’s Guide to the Best Beach Cover-ups: Beachgoers, of course, know there’s more to cover-ups than just tunics and pareos. —Talia Abbas, Vogue, 7 July 2025

French and Italian Renaissance artists were commonly inspired by statues in the Roman capital depicting Marcus Aurelius on horseback, and their works would show a Roman noble figure draped in a tunic and cloak, according to the release. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Old English tunice, from Latin tunica, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew kuttōneth coat

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for tunic

• eunuch
• punic
• runic

Kids Definition

tunic

noun

tu·​nic ˈt(y)ü-nik 

1

: a usually belted knee-length garment worn by ancient Greeks and Romans

2

: a shirt or jacket reaching to or just below the hips

Medical Definition

tunic

noun

tu·​nic ˈt(y)ü-nik 

: an enclosing or covering membrane or tissue : tunica

the tunics of the eye